This invention relates to a fragment capture or suppression device for use in explosive containment. One of the fundamental issues for fragmenting explosive devices and munitions in containment vessels is the damage that high-speed fragments generated during explosion of the device or munition can cause to the mechanical integrity of the containment vessel. In addition to the structural outer walls of the containment vessel, some vessels comprise an inner lining comprising some type of blast-attenuation means to reduce the impact of blast-generated fragments on the structural outer walls. In some cases, the blast attenuation means is a solid metal liner insert that is placed within the containment vessel. Frequently, such large, heavy fragment-suppression systems are employed on a one-use basis to slow and capture fragments. For containment vessels of considerable size, such a liner can be very heavy and cumbersome to replace when it has exceeded an acceptable level of damage from blast fragments. In some cases, the blast attenuation means can be an inorganic material, such as gravel, or a polymeric material, such as foam. While replacement of the latter materials may be relatively easy, they are not suitable for many applications where issues other than simple fragment capture or suppression are important.
In some cases, the explosive device/munition may contain dangerous chemical, biochemical, or biological agents that must be contained and destroyed within the explosive containment vessel. In such cases, protection of the structural integrity of the containment vessel is especially important to avoid personnel exposure resulting from to vessel puncture or rupture. Additionally, containment devices that must also provide for the safe destruction of the chemical, biochemical, or biological portion of the explosive device tend toward a much higher degree of structural complexity that may not allow easy use of combustible organic materials such as foams or granular materials such as gravel.